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Special Effects Artists and Animators: H-1B salaries
Standard Occupational Classification 27-1014. 1,290 labor condition applications; median offered base salary $115,274, middle half $87,000–$152,440.
Applications (LCAs)1,290
Median offered salary$115,274
Middle half of salaries$87,000–$152,440
10th–90th percentile$69,537–$191,583
By wage level
| Wage level | LCAs | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (entry) | 246 | $75,670 |
| Level II (qualified) | 394 | $107,557 |
| Level III (experienced) | 236 | $134,742 |
| Level IV (fully competent) | 300 | $167,648 |
The Department of Labor sets four prevailing wage levels for each occupation and area, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). The employer picks the level that matches the job's requirements.
Employers
Cities
- New York, NY$94,931
- Los Angeles, CA$117,520
- Irvine, CA$123,721
- Culver City, CA$135,400
- Redmond, WA$173,774
- San Jose, CA$173,843
- Santa Monica, CA$122,500
- Cupertino, CA$176,717
- Bellevue, WA$127,000
- Carlsbad, CA$100,000
- Austin, TX$102,291
- Mountain View, CA$162,161
- Chatsworth, CA$116,246
- Brooklyn, NY$87,500
Job titles
- Product Design79
- Technical Artist45
- Animator31
- Product Designer24
- Human Interface Designer23
- 3D Artist22
- Senior Technical Artist21
- HI Designer17
- Senior Product Designer16
- Motion Designer15
- Senior Character Artist13
- Associate Technical Artist12
- Interactive Engineer11
- Senior Concept Artist10
- Senior Designer10
- VFX Artist9
- Character Artist9
- Senior Animator9
- Designer9
- Concept Artist9
- Environment Artist8
- Artist8
- Compositor7
- Senior VFX Artist7
- Multimedia Designer7
- UX Designer7
- 3D Generalist7
- Creative Director7
- Associate Concept Artist6
- Lead Artist6
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | LCAs | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 382 | $106,924 |
| FY2024 | 361 | $116,604 |
| FY2025 | 329 | $120,000 |
| FY2026 | 218 | $127,150 |
Salaries are the lower end of the wage offered on each application, converted to a yearly amount; statistics use certified full-time applications only. An LCA is not a visa approval and one LCA can cover several positions. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, fiscal years 2023–2026 (latest decision Jun 30, 2026).